


It's not your fault.

by Miishae



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Car Accident, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Other, Platonic Relationships, Sleep Deprivation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-12
Updated: 2018-09-13
Packaged: 2019-07-11 12:10:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15972047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miishae/pseuds/Miishae
Summary: Marvin needs a ride home late one night, so he calls Chase. He never thought in depth over the ramifications of such a dangerous request.





	1. Chapter 1

It was only when he was just leaving the theater for the night when Marvin realized he hadn't planned for a way back home. His car had broken down earlier this week, and he’d kept forgetting to take it to a shop to get it looked at, constantly citing he'd take care of it later. Now was that moment when Marvin regretted procrastinating, because it was now one in the morning, and he had no way out of this situation. He _could_ call for a taxi, but that would mean spending money he didn't exactly have on him at the moment, and home was too far to just walk. Marvin was honestly too tired to deal with anything other than calling one of the others for help.

Pulling out his phone, he scrolled through the list of numbers, checking off the ones he knew wouldn't be able to help him on such short of notice; Schneep was off the table, as he had to work early in the morning. Jackie had said he had a night patrol to take care of and couldn't be called away from work. Jameson was most likely sleeping, _and_ he didn't drive, which left Chase.

Chase rarely slept anyway, _and_ he had a reliable truck. Well, about as reliable as a five year old stick shift could be. It was better than nothing, so Marvin clicked on Chase's name and put the phone to his ear, listening to the ringing.

Holding his breath through the first several rings, Marvin was about to hang up and call Jack for a ride, figuring the creator would still be awake anyway, when Chase's voice finally appeared over the line.

“….h’llo?” The vlogger’s voice was a heavy slur, sounding almost muffled, as if he was partially burying his face in something. Marvin’s heart sank when he realized that Chase had been asleep. 

“Chase? It’s Marvin. I need a ride home.” Marvin was starting to regret this phone call.

“Wh’re are you?” Marvin could hear rustling on the other end, which told him Chase was forcing himself upright.

“At the theater.” Marvin sighed heavily. “Sorry bro, I know you were–”

“It’s cool.” Chase’s voice cracked as he yawned loudly. “Be waitin’ outside. I’ll see you in twenty minutes.” The line went dead then, giving Marvin no chance to let Chase off the hook.

While waiting, Marvin paced back and forth, keeping his phone gripped tightly in the palm of his hand as he waited. He needed it in his hand in case someone called to tell him Chase wasn’t coming, or that Chase had fallen asleep again and someone else was on their way. His anxiety only continued to grow as he fidgeted, staring at each occasional passing headlight, holding his breath and exhaling when the car turned out to not be Chase's. It wasn't until that familiar brown truck pulled into the parking lot when Marvin forced himself to relax. He was just as tired, he realized. The magician was worrying over nothing.

With a hefty sigh of relief, Marvin walked around the front of the vehicle to climb into the passenger's seat. The thoughts he'd had while waiting faded from his mind, already being forgotten in his own tiredness. He was just relieved to finally be on his way home. Grinning at a sleepy looking Chase, Marvin buckled himself in, pulling his mask off. "Do you want me to drive instead?" He offered, pulling his hair loose.

Chase shook his head. “Nah, you hate drivin’ my truck, remember? I'm not about to let you complain about the gears for twenty minutes. You'd only grind mine.” The vlogger snorted, turning his gaze away from Marvin and focusing on the drive home. He seemed like he knew what he was doing, so Marvin let himself relax in his seat, letting the blur from the streetlights and rumbling engine lull him into a dreamy stupor. He stopped paying attention to what Chase was doing, too, thinking only of the warm bed waiting waiting for him. It was only minutes away now.

Marvin should have insisted. He should have grabbed the wheel to keep Chase from driving away from the theater, **should** have demanded to take over, even if he hated dealing with all the crap the truck came with. He never should have _called_ Chase to begin with; this all could have been avoided. At least then they both would've been okay. Marvin's stomach churned painfully when he was brought back to reality, staring in horror at the crumpled mess of engine bending around a tree.

They hadn’t crashed hard enough into the tree to do major damage to _themselves_ , but the impact had been hard enough that the truck was definitely totalled. Marvin felt like he was in a trance as he watched the smoke billow into the cab, burning his nostrils and eyes. There was something almost beautifully tragic about the way it moved, as if putting on its own magic show for the magician. In his peripheral vision, the smoke outside was moving far less gracefully, rapidly escaping through the cracks as if it was trying to escape something more dangerous inside the engine. The magician half expected the entire truck to burst into flames right then and there, and he could only numbly register the need to _get out_.

It was the sound of retching that snapped him out of his horrified trance. Head whipping to the right, he realized Chase had stumbled from his seat and onto the ground below, and was currently spewing up his own horror at what had just transpired. That was all Marvin needed to spur his body into action.

“Chase!” Marvin quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and flung himself across the seat, banging limbs on the dashboard and car door in his haste to get to Chase's side. Sinking to his knees next to the shocked and panicked vlogger, Marvin pressed a hand to his back. “Hey, hey, it’s okay,” he tried to reassure Chase. “We’re okay.” He awkwardly patted Chase’s back while fishing his phone out of his pocket, swallowing the heavy lump in his throat.

Chase didn’t have a response. He was lost in his own thoughts, too panicked and even disoriented to pay attention to what Marvin was doing now. Marvin struggled to his feet as he called for an ambulance, then called Henrik to quickly brief the doctor on what happened. He was back on the ground only after hanging up on Schneep, distantly aware of the onset of his own emotions. It wasn't shock, it was something else. Marvin couldn't stop shivering as he continued to try and comfort Chase, keeping his voice soothing as he struggled to keep Chase with him.

Marvin's stomach bunched up when he heard the sirens in the distance, steadily growing louder. He kept his eyes on the dancing lights and tried to ignore the guilt he felt. This wasn't Chase's fault, no matter what anyone said. Marvin knew it was _his_. He should have planned ahead.

He wanted to disappear.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the accident.

“Are you out of your _mind_?”

Jackie’s voice was almost too loud compared to the background noise of the hospital. Marvin shrank back away from the superhero, wishing Schneep hadn’t taken his mask away.

Jackie was standing at the foot of his bed, staring down at Marvin. Jameson was standing behind Jackie, poking his head out and giving Marvin an expression of sympathy. His speech slides were showing up as blank, which really wasn’t helping Marvin in the least.

“Um, no? I think I’m mentally okay.” He countered, trying to give Jackie his best smile. It faded almost instantly when he realized Jackie wasn’t going to put up with any bit of humor from him right now.

“ _Don’t you **dare**_ ,” Jackie snarled, leaning closer. “You let him _drive_. You could have taken the wheel. You **should** have called me! I was already out, _I could have taken you home_!”

“I’m sorry, okay?” Marvin frowned. “The thought did cross my mind, but it was late, and I wasn’t thinking much. Is he okay?”

Jackie stared back, jaw working as if he wanted to yell at Marvin some more. He finally closed his eyes, and Marvin could almost _hear_ him mentally counting to ten. At the end of the ten seconds, Jackie’s eyes opened again. “Aside from a mild concussion, Schneep said he’s okay to go home. You both are.” He straightened up and rubbed a hand down his face.

Somehow, Jackie looked even more haggard and tired when out of uniform. Marvin winced, turning away and fiddling with his blanket. “I really am sorry,” he said, voice softer than before. “I didn’t know he’d fall asleep at the wheel.”

“That’s what happens when people are sleep-deprived.” Jackie’s voice had lost its edge now, and he sounded as tired as he looked. “I’m just glad that neither of you are more seriously hurt.” He sighed, then reached down to grip Marvin’s pants. “Let’s go buddy, Chase is already checked out and waiting for us.”

Marvin got to his feet, keeping his gaze down. Schneep gave him back his mask once he was signed out of his care, but he didn’t put it on. The ride home in Jackie’s car was awkwardly silent, and Marvin couldn’t help but peek over at Chase.

Chase was pointedly staring out the window. Marvin could see the large purple and green bruise setting on the side of the vlogger’s forehead, travelling down to end just above his cheekbone. He could tell Chase was on some sort of medication, because his eyes flickered almost to a close, only to slowly open back up seconds later. Marvin internally winced and looked away, feeling that same, icy guilt flood through him.

He didn’t look back at anyone even after arriving home. Chase headed straight for his room to sleep off the pain medication, while Marvin just sat down in the living room to watch television. There wasn’t anything good on, and no one was really talking to him either.

After a few hours, Marvin shut off the TV in frustration, preparing to lie down for a nap of his own. The second his head hit the arm of the couch, he saw movement out of the corner of his eye.

“Marv?” Chase was looking hesitant as he moved closer. “Hey, listen, before you say anythin’, please hear me out.”

“Chase-”

“No, look, I’m sorry. You have every right t’ be angry with me. I shouldn’t have come to pick you up, I should have told you ‘no’ and--” 

“Wait.” Marvin blinked. “Why are you sorry?” Something about this felt off, and Marvin wondered if he was as okay as Schneep told him he was.

“Um.” Chase looked confused, eyebrows furrowing with his frown. “Because I crashed and got you hurt. I wasn’t even thinkin’ about how tired I was. I just wanted to help you out.”

“Chase.” Marvin sighed as he sat back up, patting the seat next to him. He was relieved that Chase joined him. “It’s not your fault,” he said. “It’s mine. Jackie was right, I should have called him instead. Instead I woke you up and basically forced you into driving around so late.”

“Not your fault either.” Chase yawned, head drooping as he listed into Marvin. “We jus’ going to play the blame game now?” He snorted at that. “How about it was an accident and we leave it at that?”

“I’m good with that.” Marvin sighed heavily, lying back down and pulling Chase on top of him. “How’s your head?” He traced fingers along Chase’s scalp, hoping the vlogger’s headache wasn’t too bad.

“Hurts like hell,” came Chase’s quip. “I’ll survive. _Damn_ though, what did Schneep give me?” He wriggled, getting comfortable and letting his head rest in the crook of Marvin’s neck. “I feel so out of it.”

“Go to sleep then. I’m not keeping you awake.” Marvin grinned. “We still friends?”

“Only th’ _best_ ,” Chase slurred. “Just never ask for a ride home again. You owe me a new truck.”

“Fuck off!” Marvin laughed. “We’ll talk about that later.” There was no further response from Chase at that.


End file.
